Adventures of the Demi-Wizards
by OneHellOfaMuse
Summary: au where Percy and Sally Jackson move to Little Whinging Surrey and meet a young Harry they become brothers of a sort and just read it.
1. New friend

**AU due to the difference in Time. Gabe had Sally and Percy move to London percy is a wizard and demi God same goes for Harry sorry I couldn't help myself****Disclaimer: I neither own The Harry Potter nor the Percy Jackson series. They belong to JKR and RR, respectively. (If you don't know who they are, I can't help you.)**

Chapter 1

Harry 5 Percy 5

September 18 No. 03 Privet drive

Sally Jackson pushed her sweaty hair out of her face and plopped down onto the ground. The mud-caked her old jeans but she didn't mind. She had just finished planting three saplings in the front garden of their new house. Her mind reeled. She still couldn't believe that Gabe had won an all-expense cruise trip across the Atlantic. She couldn't believe that he had actually bought a raffle ticket instead of spending the money on useless drinks. She couldn't believe that Gabe would think of moving to London. To No. 3, Privet Drive, Surrey. She couldn't believe that he accidentally lost the return tickets. She couldn't help but think of sulfurous thoughts of that… creature. No way would he ever do anything like that.

She looked up and thought Poseidon. (No. 3, Privet Drive. That is no coincidence.)

He would've wanted her to move across the ocean after the last monster attack on Percy. Percy wasn't even two and she was quite tired. I small chuckle escaped her lips. She craned to see Percy on the porch of the house. He kept scribbling with crayons on a piece of paper. He was simply adorable. Large dark blue-green eyes that shined bright, black hair that seemed to obey only his blue baby brush and that charming, heart-melting grin of his he would give her every day as if saying Thank you.

Who would want to hurt someone so little? He didn't do anything offensive to anyone except to Gabe when he made that glass of wine shatter in his hand, months ago. Or when he caused the fountain to explode onto one of the monsters a few months ago.

He was too powerful. She was pretty sure that England didn't hold many dangers as America did. A few years of calm and normal lives before they had to go back. They would have to. It was his destiny.

Darn Fates!

Sally pushed her small spade into the ground with more force than necessary. The blade hit one of her saplings and she heard a gasp behind her. She spun around whipping out a knife which glinted in a royal brown shade to face… a child?

For a moment, Sally thought that it was Percy. But why would Percy wear old, loose clothes? Percy most certainly did not have his hair sticking up everywhere and he absolutely did not have bright electrifying green eyes. Sally blinked and realized it was someone else.

"Oh! Hello." She said smiling. She dropped her spade and wiped her hands on her old shirt. The boy looked at her almost fearful. His eyes told her that he viewed her like a predator.

"It's alright. I won't hurt you." Sally said slowly. The boy looked at the broken sapling and then back at her. He looked at Percy scratching away on the paper and then back to Sally, eyes darting as if which situation to assess. The plant in need, the stranger woman or the weird boy doing something with no fruit. He decided to go with the first.

The boy inched forward, keeping his eyes trained on Sally's face locking her gaze with his. For a child, the intensity was shocking. Sally tried to remember to breathe. This boy was no ordinary being. But he most certainly wasn't a monster.

He child kneeled on the moist ground and cupped his tiny palms around the base of the chopped plant. A space of a heart-beat passed and then the plant shivered. The leaves raised by themselves, the plant grew two inches in height and then drooping to the ground wriggling around a bit. An orange bud-like thing appeared at the base of one of the stems and it grew into a large orange fruit about the size of the child's head. A pumpkin. The boy immediately snatched his hands away and then stared at Sally as if waiting for her verdict.

Sally was in no condition to give one. She stared at the now four feet long plant, the fruit that grew in no less than ten seconds and then at the boy. She realized with a jolt that he was waiting for her response in fear.

"Thank you." She whispered after going through many possibilities of what to say to calm him down. It worked. His tense shoulders relaxed and he let out a breath.

Alright. Maybe he's a son of a Plant God? That seemed stupid in her head for some reason. There was Demeter, the Goddess of the Harvest. There wasPomona, the Goddess of Plenty. Neither of them seemed like the mother of the child in front of her.

"Mama?" A small voice said behind her. She turned her head and saw Percy. Her son was holding the paper he had used. He stared at the boy and smiled. The boy didn't smile back. Percy looked at the fruit on the ground and then back at the boy. Sally took the paper he was holding and saw a very rough sketch of an abstract painting. Colours Thrown everywhere across the paper. There wasn't a spot of off-white the paper had been previously.

"It's lovely," Sally said looking at Percy.

But he stared at the boy who was six feet across from them and said, "Pumki."

Sally blinked. The boy didn't react.

"What did you say, Pepe?" Sally asked her son touching his shoulder.

Percy pointed at the boy and then at the fruit and said again, "Pumki."

That cleared everything up.

Sally giggled and then looked at the boy, "So, what's your name?" the boy didn't answer.

She leaned forward and said, "Can you hear me?" She wondered if the boy was deaf. He was so silent. It made her helpless to look at him and realize that he might not be able to listen to the sounds of everything around him.

The boy nodded. Okay, he wasn't deaf. "Can you speak? What's your name?"

The boy looked at her, cocked his head and said, "Hawwy."

His accent had a bit of formality to it. She hadn't realized that even children could pull off the accents of their countries. He most certainly was British.

"Harry?" She asked.

Harry nodded shyly.

"Well, Harry my name is Sally. Sally Jackson your neighbours." She said. When she said things like that to Percy, she got whatever he was hiding from her, by making him laugh. It was simple. Say something incomprehensible or outrageous that the other party can't understand. Works every time.

The boy's eyes grew large. His lips twitched and he giggled. Two dimples appeared on his cheeks as his lips widened. Sally felt proud. Harry walked forward and smiled at Sally and Percy. She held out her hand, hook his softly and shook it.

Harry felt confused at first and looked at his hand as if she had given him something. Percy laughed and shook his hand too, "Hi Hawwy! Me Percee!"

Harry looked at Percy, almost amused and repeated, "Percee." Sally couldn't help but smile. Our first friend.


	2. Letters

Chapter 2 time skip 5 years

Percy 10 Harry 11

July 31st No. 03 Privet drive

Every day for five years Sally went to No. 4 Privet Drive and everyday Percy would sneak food to Harry when they had discovered his living conditions, everyday Sally would learn more about the Dursleys and everyday Percy would understand Harry's no-trust complex.

The Dursleys were the most normal and boring people the Jacksons had ever met. Vernon was a huge and bulky figure who would be polite in front of them but Sally had seen him glare at the cupboard from time to time. Petunia would talk forever and more under the pretext that Sally wanted to listen forever and more. Dudley was their 'Frankenstein'. At five years old, he would do his best to ruin the plants, furniture, glassware and other stuff and then pinned it on Harry.

Sally didn't want to believe that Harry had to stay in the cupboard every day as if it was his room.

This 'family' was destroying the two young boys. It made Sally's blood boil when she saw through her window, how Petunia would grin, coddle and hug Dudley while she would either scream or shun Harry for just staring at things. Harry wasn't staring. He was observing. He'd listen to sounds, not just hear. He would look up at the sky as if they held secrets from him. He would look at the mud on the ground and press his hands to it. Making imprints and making sure that he left something behind in this world, f he was to go.

At least that was what Sally had understood when he would stare at everything. His eyes knew hurt because he felt it every day. His skin would show physical signs of exhaustion from mistreatment because he went through it every day. His expression would show something akin to death.

That was what Sally feared the most. It was like he came from somewhere, where pain and misery had flourished.

No child should have such feelings. With this thought and Harry's face in her mind, she made a deal with Petunia. She lied.

Sally said that Percy was adopted. It wasn't that hard to pull off. Percy, even as a baby, looked much more like Poseidon, the God of the Seas. Sure, Sally and Percy had the same cheek-bone structure, but the rest were Poseidon's. She couldn't use the Mist to blank-out the Dursley's brains (or what was left of it) and take Harry away. So this was the next option.

She would train Harry to be a model student in school. With her teaching, he could skip a couple of grades, cost less to the Dursleys and hopefully leave them sooner than expected. They never told Sally of his birth. Sally didn't care. Harry deserves a life.

The deal was actually plain idiotic. What family would let a neighbour or, take their child and teach him the ways of life; virtually raising him as her own? Where he would come for breakfast, lunch, dinner and occasional naps?

The Dursleys.

As she carried Harry, who was asleep on her shoulder, towards her new home, she was glad that Gabe wasn't there. It was close to ten in the night and Percy should be asleep if he wasn't bouncing in his crib waiting impatiently for his (for all intents and purposes) new brother. An older one at that. Harry was eighteen days older than Percy.

Her heartfelt light She didn't worry about monsters, prophecies, deaths and out-of-control accidental outburst of water. She had two pairs of eyes that would look at her every day with love and trust and that more than just sustained her. It made her life nearly satisfied.

Harry had his eleventh birthday at the Jackson's house since he pretty much lived with them. As they were celebrating his birthday an owl flew in through an open window with a letter clutched in its talons landing right in front of Harry. The letter was addressed to him.

Mr H. Potter

The second bedroom to the right upstairs

3, Privet drive

Little whinging

Surrey.

He opened it and read the green writing out loud.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr Potter, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1.

We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress." Harry finished with a confused frown.

"What is Hogwarts?" Percy asked Harry as he peered at the letter over Harry's shoulder. Harry just shrugged looking to Sally for an answer.

"Yeah, I don't understand how do they know where I live? I don't know who they are. It's kind of creepy." Harry said as he looked back down at the letter and the impatient looking owl perched on the table.

"Harry it said it has a list." Said sally as she too looked queerly at the letter.

Shaking his head free of his distracted thoughts he read out the requirement list.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry UNIFORM First-year students will require 1.Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear 3.One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4.One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following: The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales Students may also bring and owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS." The owl having gotten too impatient flew onto Harry's shoulder and nudged his head waiting for food.

Percy laughed "I think it's hungry Harry here give it some of this." He said handing the bird some If his leftover bacon from their breakfast.

Harry looked a bit sheepish for forgetting about it. And mumbled his apologies as if understanding him the bird nodded its head in satisfaction and flew out the window.

A couple of weeks later on Percy's birthday, a similar letter arrived for him too saying the exact same thing apart from the obvious. Name and rooms and such.

Later that afternoon the bell rang and standing there was a tall a stern-looking woman with a tight bun atop her head.

"May I come in my name is Minerva McGonagall the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts." She announced.

The trio stared for a few seconds before coming to their senses. Sally is the first to talk. "Of course come in, come in. We were just celebrating my son's birthday."

"Ah yes Perseus Jackson, muggle-born and whom might this young man be?." She inquired as she looked at Harry who gulped a bit at her unnerving gaze and stuttered.

"H-harry P-potter ma'am." Her eyes widen slightly at that.

"Harry Potter, you say? Ah right you live with your aunt and uncle isn't that right?" She half asked.

Shaking his head Harry looked over at Sally and Percy. "No ma'am i haven't for a few years you see aunt Sally took me in when they found out i was being abused and being kept in a cupboard under the stairs. They are my family." McGonagall pursed her lips at that information her eyes went steely for a bit.

"I see, " was all she said before she turned to Sally "I must thank you for taking him in, I had told Albus that they were the worst kind of muggles, " muttered the last bit under her breath.

Shaking her head free of her thoughts she clapped her hands and smiled again. "Right so you may not believe me but your both wizards. I knew your parents, Mr Potter, they were my students once…"

"I'm sorry but we need proof you can't just appear and announce that we're wizards and expect us to believe you." Percy interrupted her causing both Harry and Sally to facepalm themselves.

Instead of reprimanding him McGonagall simply smiled and waved a stick about in the air and pointing it at a cup on the table and turning it into a cat then back. The boys openly gaped at her before sharing mischievous glances causing Sally to blanch knowing that look meant trouble for her.

"Okay, we believe you we can we get one?" They said in unison.

Tucking her wand back in sleeve she decomposed herself and informed them of why she was there. "That Mr Jackson and Mr Potter is why I'm here to take you shopping for your equipment required for Hogwarts. I shall come back tomorrow to take you to Diagon Alley."


	3. Diagon Alley I

Chapter 3 Diagon Alley, Gringotts

Percy 11 Harry 11

August 19th 1991

Sally Jackson smiled fondly at her boys as they readied themselves for a day out. She heard the doorbell ring and was about to open it when Harry beat her to it jumping up and down in excitement.

"Come in, please. Would you like some tea or blue biscuits those are mine and Percy's favourite." He said as he continued to bounce up and down. The woman's eyes softened as she looked at him she had a small smile on her lips as she accepted the offer of tea.

"PERCY! SHE'S HERE!" He all but yelled up the stairs for his brother in every way despite not being related.

Seconds later a fresh-looking eleven-year-old Percy Jackson came tumbling down the stairs and landed on Harry in an effort to greet their guest. The sight caused both adults to laugh or giggle whatever it was at them heaped on each other at the bottom of the stairs.

After tea and breakfast, the Boys re-readied themselves for the day. Ms McGonagall dusted herself off as she stood to turn to Sally "Are we ready to leave. Yes? Alright then we will be going to Charing Cross Road in London's West End do you know where that is Ms Jackson?" She inquired, receiving a firm nod as a response.

With that, the boys piled into the back of Sally's car as McGonagall and herself buckled themselves in the front.

After a while of driving, they arrived outside of a tiny, grubby-looking pub. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. In fact, Harry and Percy had the most peculiar feeling that only they could see it. Before either of them could mention this, Ms McGonagall had steered them inside.

For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in.

They seemed to recognise Ms McGonagall all turning away again minding their business as she walked up to the bartender, wordlessly asking him something as he leads them to a brick wall and tapped some bricks and a gateway of sorts appeared, as they continued through both Harry and Percy were gawking about their surroundings open-mouthed in fascination.

They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing

beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, were...

"They are goblins," McGonagall quietly as they walked up to the white stone steps toward him.

The goblin was quite a bit shorter than the boys. He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, they noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside, the boys confused at the gesture shrugged and bowed back, as the continued neither noticed the look of shock on the goblin's face.

Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them:

Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn.

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.

A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. The small group made for the counter.

"Good morning master goblin, we would like to have two inheritance tests for these two young men Misters Harry Potter and Perseus Jackson," McGonagall states firmly.

The goblin peers down at the boys and reaches out to Harry's forehead moving his hair out of the way so he could see his scar satisfied he nodded his head. Stepping down from his stool the goblin gestures for them to follow him.

He leads them through some corridors before they reached their destination, two large silver doors with two brawny looking goblin guards outside. He orders them to open the doors in some strange language neither boy had heard before.

They step into a large red room with a dark mahogany desk at one end with a blood-red desk chair behind it and a few comfy looking couches for them to sit in, there were weapons and shields of all kinds hung upon the walls as some kind of trophies the boys guessed. The goblin sat at the desk and gestured for the pair to stand in front of it.

"You wanted the inheritance tests correct?" He asked they nod "step forward and give me your dominant hand." They did so and without so much as a warning, the goblin cut their palms with a silver blade, causing them to wince, as he placed them over some pieces of parchment letting the blood drip onto it before sealing their wounds and assessing the document.

When he was done he bowed to both. "Your highnesses." Baffled by that response both boys scanned over their own documents.

Inheritance test

Name Harilaos 'Harry' Jupiter 'James' Evans 'Potter'

Parents:

Mother: Lily Jasmine Potter neé Evans

Father: Zeus Lord of the Sky, the Cloud-gatherer, the Rain-god Zeus the Thunderer, King of gods ruler of Olympus.

Step/adoptive father: James Charlus Potter

Godfather: Sirius Black

Godmother: Alice Longbottom neé Smith

Titles:

Heir to the noble house of Potter (by blood adoption.)

Heir to the most ancient and noble house of Gryffindor (by magic)

Heir to the ancient and noble house of Peverell (maternal)

Heir to Evans (maternal)

Heir to Slytherin right of conquest (maternal)

Heir to the most ancient and royal house of Jupiter (paternal)

vaults:

Potter vault #642: 3,000,000 Galleons; 600 sickles; 350 knuts.

Heir to shared Royal vault #34: 5,000,000,000 Galleons; 900 Sickles; 300 knuts.

Heir to Evans vault #700: 2,500 Galleons; 53 Sickles; 15 knuts.

Heir to Peverell vault #975: 4,000,000 Galleons; 466 Sickles; 44 Knuts.

Heir to Gryffindor #125: 50,000 Galleons; 250 Sickles; 0 knuts.

Heir to Slytherin #124: 0 Galleons; 17 Sickles; 2 Knuts.

Inheritance test

Name: Perseus 'Percy' Neptune Jackson

Parents:

Mother: Sally Rosalie Jackson

Father: Poseidon Lord of the sea, earthquakes, and horses.

Stepfather: Gabriel 'Gabe' Richard Ugliano

Titles:

Heir to the most ancient and royal house of Neptune.

Vaults:

Heir to shared Royal vault #34: 5,000,000,000 Galleons; 900 Sickles; 300 knuts.

Both boys look at each other when they finished reading their tests both looked like they were going to faint because of the amount of money they held. The adults caught onto this and frowned while the goblin looked as if it were going to break into a dance.

Harry and Percy handed their Test to the waiting women, Sally promptly fainted as she finished only to be revived by Professor McGonagall's flick of her wand.

"Well that happened," Percy said trying to lighten the mood still overwhelmed by their riches Harry the most.

The goblin brought them back to reality when he spoke again. "Lords Harilaos Evans Potter Jupiter and Perseus Jackson Neptune I, Goblin Master Sharpfang present you with your new Vault keys and Heir or Lord rings," Sharpfang said as he handed the new young lords the items grinning like a shark in a bloody ocean. It was disturbing in other words.

"I shall call Master Griphook and master Ripclaw to take you to your Vaults." He said as he hopped out of his chair and exited the room the group not far behind.

After their rides down to their Vaults they exited Gringotts with magical money pouches that are only accessible by them so they could start their shopping.


	4. Diagon Alley II

Chapter 4 Diagon alley shopping

Harry and Percy looked horrified at the idea of clothes shopping both complained that it was a girls thing and they should really look somewhere else first. But no luck as they were dragged into 'Madame Malkins robes for all occasions'.

Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve."Hogwarts, dearies?" she said, when the boys were about to speak.

"Got the lot here another young man being fitted up just now, in fact." In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length. While another which did the same for Percy.

"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes," they said in union.

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."

Harry was strongly reminded of Dudley. To be honest so were Percy and Sally, all three cringed.

"Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on.

"No," said Harry.

"What about you?" He asked Percy.

"No, " he answered.

"Play Quidditch at all?"

"No," They said again, wondering what on earth Quidditch could be.

"I do — Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"

"No," said Harry, feeling more stupid by the minute.

"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been — imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

"Mmm," said Harry, wishing he could say something a bit more interesting.

"Where are your parents?" the boy asked Harry.

"They're dead," said Harry shortly. He didn't feel much like going into the matter with this boy. Even though his real father is still alive because he is a God and all he still wouldn't tell this stuck up pratt.

"Oh, sorry," said the other, not sounding sorry at all. "But they were our kind, weren't they?"

"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean."

"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?"

But before Harry could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my dear," and Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool. Percy did the same following him out of the store with McGonagall and Sally not far behind.

"Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," said the drawling boy. Far behind them.

"Next is Flourish and Blotts" both boys groan about going into a book store. They bought Harry and Percys school books the shelves in the shop were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Even Dudley, who never read anything, would have been wild to get his hands on some of these. Sally almost had to drag Harry and Percy away from Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More) by Professor Vindictus Viridian.

"We were trying to find out how to curse Dudley." they said.

They let Harry and Percy buy a solid gold cauldron each as well as, the pewter ones. They got a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope.

Then they visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotten cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and

snarled claws hung from the ceiling. Harry and Percy examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop) which they bought out of curiosity when McGonagall turned her back to the to talk to someone on the shelves with eyeballs.

Percy complained that he was hungry and Harry agreed so McGonagall takes them to a place called Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour where they bought some ice creams and ate for awhile as they waited for their stomachs to settle so they didn't vomit when they go to the next shop.

Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Harry bought a snowy owl and named her Hedwig he gifted her to Sally so that they could send letters.

They moved onto Magical Menagerie next for food for the owl and to check out the other cool animals. The shop was very cramped, noisy and smelly, due to every inch being covered with cages. Among the creatures in the Magical Menagerie are enormous purple toads, a firecrab, poisonous orange snails, a fat white rabbit that can turn into a silk top hat, cats of every colour, ravens, puffskeins, a cage of sleek black rats that play skipping games with their tails, some Krupps and snakes in a far corner of the store Harry and Percy both check them out because they are more interesting than the other things in the shop.

As they get closer Harry started to hear voices coming from the tank.

_"Look more of thossse disssgusssting two legs_." A black and red striped one hissed.

_"They smell different though."_ A green viper looking thing added.

While the big lazy looking boa did nothing. Harry turned to Percy and asked if he could hear them only to get a shrug.

Deter mind Harry turns back to the reptiles. _"You know I can hear you."_ He hissed unknowingly at them.

All of the snakes suddenly snap their heads to him even the boa. _"__A speaker is here."__"You can speak."__"He understands us."__"Take me."__"No me."_ They hissed at him causing him to back up and turn away both Percy and Harry go to the Krupp puppies and ignore the agitated hisses form the back.

Percy spots a small black Krupp at the back of the litter being trampled by its siblings feeling bad for it Percy Grabs the poor thing and lifts it out hugging him to his chest.

Meanwhile Harry spots an egg in a nest by its self curiosity getting the better of him he reaches out to it touching the shell caressing it with his fingers not noticing the sign saying keep a way unknown egg possibly dangerous. He feels a warmth coming from it giving him a fright but he picks it up anyway not noticing the shop keeper or any one else calling him as he watches in fascination as it cracks open in his hands and releases a blinding white light forcing him to turn away. Only to be left with a wriggling small creature in his hands. He peaks through his eye lashes before blinking dumbly at the blue bird now sitting in his hands.

"Well never in my years have I seen that thing hatch. Boy it looks like you got a familiar, it was waiting for you. That egg has been here for a good 10 years never hatched I thought it might've been dead so I kept it as a kind of ornament. Now I know what it is and I also know she's yours. She's a storm Phoenix boy look after her." The storekeeper said eyeing the magnificent creature in awe.

Harry nods and everyone stares at him and the bird before Percy chucks his arm around his shoulder his puppy in his rightt arm and his left dangling over Harrys neck. "What're you gonna name her?" He asked.

Harry thought on it a bit before shrugging as they paid and left the store with the adults not far behind.

**Quasi here what do you think what should their familiars names be? Let me know.**


	5. Diagon Alley III

Chapter 5: Diagon Alley wands

They only had Ollivanders wands left then getting some trunks for their stuff. A magic wand… this was what they had been really looking forward to.

The shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders:

Makers of Fine Wands since just occurred wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.

A tinkling bell rang the panggingge depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place empty except seemed to, a spindly chair that Percy decided to sit in to wait as he petted his Krupp.

Harry felt strange though he had entered a very strict library; something that had just occurred to him and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the gloom of his neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry, Percy and Sally all Jumped as they turned to see an old man standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining through the gloom of the shop.

"Hello," Harry and Percy said awkwardly.

"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes, it seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work." Mr Ollivander moved closer to Harry.

Harry wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy. Percy was thinking along the same lines only that it was more like Hades realm creepy.

"Your father, on the other hand, favoured the mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

Mr Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes.

"And that's where…" before he could say anything more Percy got between them.

"Aaand that stops. It's really creepy and your weirding him out and talking about his scar makes him uncomfortable so bugger off." Percy said to the man glaring at him as he did so.

Mr Ollivander backed up raising his hands in a gesture of submission of sorts, "An American interesting."

"What's interesting?" Percy asked.

"Don't get many transfers."

Percy scoffs "that's not interesting that's lame." He states like for him Ms McGonagall and his mum left to check on other things.

"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly. "Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands… well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do…"

"And how would you know anything about this scar old man? My father saved me this is him protecting me because he couldn't save my mum." Harry snapped causing Mr Ollivanders to back up again Percy and his group behind him.

"Look Mr we came here for our wands not his parent's life story now hurry up," Percy said with finality. Funny that is, he was outdone by two eleven-year-olds.

Mr Ollivanders looked a bit miffed by that but continued. "Well, now Mr Potter. Let me

see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand

arm?"

"Er well, I'm right-handed," said Harry a bit lamely.

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow,

shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good

results with another wizard's wand." Percy watched the tape move around Harry hoping not to but knowing he'll have to use it too.

Harry suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.

"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr.

Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. just take it and give it a wave."

Harry took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once. "Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try —"

Harry tried — but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr Ollivander.

"No, no — here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it

out."

Harry tried. And tried. He had no idea what Mr Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.

"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere — I wonder, now — yes, why not — unusual combination — holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. Percy whooped and clapped despite himself he was getting bored of doing nothing.

Mr Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well… how curious… how very curious…"

He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering,

"Curious… curious…"

"Sorry," said Harry, "but what's curious?"

Mr Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare.

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the Phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand gave another feather — just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother — why, its brother gave you that scar."

Harry frowned. Percy butted in again "No dude we already said we know what happened now let's skip the wand talk. And get on with it." He said causing the man to huff indignantly. He continued anyway as if Percy wasn't there.

"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember… I think we must expect great things from you, Mr Potter… After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great." Harry shivered causing his familiar to peek its head out of his pocket.

They weren't sure they liked Mr Ollivander too much. He paid seven gold galleons for his wand, and Mr. Ollivander set to work on Percy same procedure different wand. Spruce unicorn hair 12 and a half inches Unyielding.

The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Harry and Percy made their way back down Diagon Alley, where they met up with Sally and Ms McGonagall. The woman returning from their Trunk shopping for the boys and all three go back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron, now empty, with the snowy owl asleep in its cage on Sallys lap, the storm Phoenix harry has yet to name in his pocket and Percy's Krupp newly named Argos sits in his lap.(named for the ever-patient companion of Odysseus his ever-faithful dog.)

After a day of shopping in Diagon Alley, the boys take all of their shrunken down thinks to their rooms along with their familiars. Sighing happily Harry fell back on his bed watching as his Phoenix familiar crawled her way out of his pocket and onto his chest, from there she stared into his eyes with her black ones. Before chirping delightedly at him and snuggles into his neck.

Chuckling at her antics he scoops her into his hands and sits upon his bed looking at her in contemplation before he finally comes up with a name, "I think I'll call you Fulgora. Do you like it that's your new name." He whispered to his companion before dozing off.

**Thank you for your suggestions I picked the Greek one Fulgora because it seemed fitting and sounds right so I thank you.**


	6. Train ride

Chapter 6

The Journey From Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

September 1st

Percy and Harry's last month with Sally were fairly eventless. Since they got their wands, they had been studying, of course, all their books had to have a translation charm on them so they could actually read them. Which they had politely asked Professor McGonagall if she could do it for them.

So over a few weeks of mostly, Harry reading to Percy both had learned how to properly perform each first-year charms and transfiguration since the trace they discovered they had on their wands, would only alert the magical ministry if they were using them on muggles or in front of muggles. They would practice in their rooms where no one else was watching (bar their familiars they don't really count). They read their potions books and herbology neither were very interesting but they read them anyway since there wasn't much else to do when they weren't training their familiars. The Hogwarts a history book that Sally had bought was filled with interesting little tidbits about the school.

Harry and Percy would go out at night with Fulgora and Argos to train them. Fulgora was already, if she is on the ground, as high as Harry's knee and Argos was bigger than the average Krupp Percy concluded that he must have been a mixed breed of sorts.

They had gone back to Diagon Alley for books on magical creatures, to see if they had any information on their familiar's feeding habits and or abilities that they may be unaware of.

It turned out Argos was actually a shadow Krupp, a mix between a Shadow wolf and a regular Krupp, he had the ability to Shadow travel from place to place; similar to Fulgora's ability to flash from place to place. Fulgora could also generate small sparks of lightning when she flies around. Harry had taught her to hit targets, that they would place on the far side of their backyard, with almost perfect accuracy. Argos was able to catch anything Percy would throw and it didn't matter how far either. They became utterly inseparable with their familiars and dreaded having to leave them behind when they had to get to Hogwarts as they weren't on the list.

Sally used Hedwig to keep in touch with Ms McGonagall as they had become friends in the time they had spent shopping for school supplies. So she had asked if they could make an exception for the boy's familiars. To which the professor answered that many students bring other animals and that there was already an exception for familiars due to a magical connection with their witch or wizard. She had also reminded them of where the train station was and how to get there.

So when they arrived at kings cross station the boys grabbed some trolleys for their things ie: trunks and cages. They pushed through the crowd looking for platform 9 and between 9 and 10, she had said.

As they neared their destination at that moment a group of people passed just behind them and Harry and Percy caught a few words of what they were saying.

"— packed with Muggles, of course —"

They both swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like Harry's and Percy's in front of them — and they had an owl a dead give away if you asked Percy. At least Fulgora and Argos looked like normal pets (a parrot and a dog) to muggles.

Hearts hammering, Harry and Percy pushed their carts after them. They stopped and so did they, just near enough to hear what they were saying.

"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.

"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was holding her hand, "Mom, can't I go…"

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first." Harry snickered at his friend only to get jabbed in the ribs by his elbow in retaliation.

The redhead Percy looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Harry and Percy watched, careful not to blink in case they missed it — but just as the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the time the last backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished.

"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy.

"Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother?

Can't you tell I'm George?"

"Sorry, George, dear."

"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done it because a second later, he had gone — but how had he done it? The boys thought.

Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was almost there — and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere. There was nothing else for it.

Gathering his courage Harry moved closer to them clearing his throat. "Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman.

"Hello, dears," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too." She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.

"Yes," they said. "The thing is — the thing is, we don't know how to —"

"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, and the boys nodded.

"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."

"Er — okay," said Harry as he went before Percy.

He pushed his trolley around and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid.

He started to walk toward it. People jostled him on their way to platforms nine and ten. Harry walked more quickly. He was going to smash right into that barrier and then he'd be in trouble

— leaning forward on his cart, he broke into a heavy run — the barrier was coming nearer and nearer — he wouldn't be able to stop — the cart was out of control — he was a foot away — he closed his eyes ready for the crash — It didn't come… he kept on running… he opened his eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock.

Harry looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with thewords Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it, He had done it Percy came through just seconds later.

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry and Percy pushed their carts off down the platform in search of an empty seat.

They passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again."

"Oh, Neville," he heard the old woman sigh in exasperation.

A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd. "Give us a look, Lee, go on." The boy, Lee, lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.

Percy and Harry pressed on through the crowd until they found an empty compartment near the end of the train. Harry put Fulgora inside first along with Argos and then started to shove and heave his trunk toward the train door. He tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice he dropped it painfully on his foot even with Percy's help.

"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the barrier.

"Yes, please," Harry and Percy panted.

"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!" With the twins' help, both Harry's and Percy's trunks were at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.

"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes as Percy looked at the twins wearily when they got odd looks in them.

"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar. Percy groaned.

"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you —?"

"He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.

"What?" said Harry. Percy had to resist an eye roll at his friend who was clearly playing dumb.

"Harry Potter." chorused the twins.

"Oh, him," said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am. And this is my best friend or brother Perseus."

"Percy's fine." The two boys gawked at them, and Harry felt himself turning red. While Percy reached for his wand. Then, to their relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.

"Fred? George? Are you there?"

"Coming, Mom." With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train.

Harry sat down next to the window were half-hidden, he could watch the red-haired family the platform and hear what they were saying. Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief.

Percy looked at his friend as he stared out the window. Poking him with his wand to get his attention Percy grinned when he looked. "Hey, Hariloas aren't you going to let Fulgora out she looks a bit mad." And low and behold the bird was glaring at Harry for not immediately letting her out.

Harry looked a bit sheepish before mock glaring at Percy "Shut up Perseus." he mumbled causing the other boy to laugh only to be shut up by an angry growl.

It was his turn to look sheepish as he meekly apologised to his familiar whilst letting him out causing Harry to laugh. Grinning Percy said "see don't look so glum, we get to go to a magical school! Isn't that even a little bit awesome?"

"It's brilliant but I just miss…"

" You just miss my mum err your aunt? I don't know anymore but you miss her." Percy finished for him and Harry nodded.

Percy looked back out the window at the odd little family just as one of the twins said.

"Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"

Percy saw Harry, lean back quickly so they couldn't see him, out of the corner of his eye.

"You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?"

"Who?"

"Harry Potter!"

The boys heard the little girl's voice. "Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see him, Mum, eh please…" the little girl pleaded. Percy nudged Harry just as Fulgora and Argos caught on to what was happening and laughed in the strange animalistic sounding way causing Harry to glare petulantly at his familiar grumble under his breath that sound suspiciously like 'traitors'.

"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"

"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there — like lightning."

"Poor dear — no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform."

"But he wasn't alone there was another boy too looked just like him. His names Percy he said he was his best friend and brother." One said.

"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?" Harry and Percy shared a look as they continued to listen.

Their mother suddenly became very stern. "I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school."

"All right, keep your hair on." A whistle sounded.

"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.

"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls." was all the boys heard before they got out their cards for exploding snap.

They played for a while before the door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in.

"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry and Percy. "Everywhere else is full."

They shook their heads and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry saw he still had a black mark on his nose.

"Hey, Ron." The twins were back.

"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train — Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down

there."

"Right," mumbled Ron.

"Harry Percy," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."

"Bye," said Harry, Percy and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.

Harry nodded. Percy rolled his eyes.

"Oh — well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got — you know…"

He pointed at Harry's forehead. Percy narrowed his eyes and stood up pointing his wand at Ron. His voice was as cold as it had been with Mr Ollivanders.

"Leave it so what if he has a scar and his names Harry he doesn't like it when people ask or talk about it it makes him uncomfortable."

"It's fine Perce, its no biggy" Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared. Percy's glared at him his wand once again pointed at the redhead. Causing said redhead to swallow nervously.

"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. Seemingly deciding not to ask any unwanted questions. "What are they like?"

"Horrible — well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though on my mother's side. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."

"Hey!"

"Oh right sorry Percy"

"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. The boys shared a look feeling like they were in for a long wait. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left — Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's perfect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."

Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gradient, which was asleep. Causing both Fulgora and Argos to snarl and hiss at it making Ron quickly put it away.

Percy grabbed Argos' collar just as Harry grabbed Fulgora trying to calm her down. The boys were apologising as they put their familiars back in their cages. "Sorry, bud but you can't attack people's pets." Percy reminded Argos.

"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect they couldn't aff — I mean, I got Scabbers instead." Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much because he went back to staring out of the window.

Neither Percy or Harry thought there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, he'd never had any money in his life until he moved in with the Jacksons years ago, and he told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up.

Percy sat back in the seat allowing Harry to make some friends. "… and until Professor McGonagall told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort —"

Ron gasped.

"What?" both Harry and Percy looked confused.

"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people —"

Percy snorted and Harry glared. "I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry, "I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've still got lots to learn."

"Not much curriculum wise bro remember we studied all of the books." That statement caused Rons Jaw to drop.

"All of them?" They nodded "blimey I haven't even read one." Percy all of a sudden didn't like him. He was lazy.

While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.

Around half-past twelve, there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back to their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

Percy and Harry, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to their feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. The boys went out into the corridor.

Harry never had any money for candy with the Dursleys, and now that he and Percy had a pouch rattling with gold and silver they were ready to buy as many Mars Bars as he could carry — but the woman didn't have Mars Bars. What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's est Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things The boys had never seen in their lives. Not wanting to miss anything, they both got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts each.

Ron stared as they brought it all back into the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.

"Hungry, are you?" he asked.

"Starving," They said in union causing them to laugh before, taking a large bite out of their pumpkin pasties.

Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef.."

"Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding up a pasty. "Go on —"

"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."

"Go on, have a pasty," said Harry, who had never had anything to share before besides when he lived with Percy. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten).

"What are these?" Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs.

"They're not really frogs, are they?" Percy asked having bought tones of the things because he loves chocolate.

"No," said Ron. "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."

"What?" they asked.

"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know — Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect — famous witches and wizards. I've to collective hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."

Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose silver hair, beard, and moustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.

"So this is Dumbledore!" said Harry.

As Percy opened him to see a mans face not unlike the first except he had a red hat and his skin was white and his beard was grey and underneath the picture was the name, Ptolemy. Not wanting Ron to see his card he put it in his secret compartment in his trunk.

"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa — thanks —"

Harry turned over his card and read:

**ALBUS DUMBLEDORE**

**CURRENTLY, HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS**

Considered by many to be the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor

Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.

Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.

"He's gone!"

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron.

"He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her… do you want it? You can start collecting." Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped.

Lucky for Percy he had an extendable pouch where he keeping his. The boy was clearly a pig.

"Help yourself," said Harry. "But, you know, in the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."

"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "Weird!" Harry stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and gave him a small smile.

Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry and Percy couldn't keep their eyes off them. Soon they both had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. He finally tore his eyes away from the Druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned other boys. "When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor — you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger-flavoured one once."

Percy just had a great idea. "Why don't we play a game? Whoever loses a round of exploding snap has to eat whichever bean the other to pick good or not." The other boys nodded and Percy got out his cards for exploding snap and he and Ron went first him being the winner and Ron the loser. He pointed at one of the green beans and watched as

Ron picked it up, he looked at it carefully and bit into a corner.

"Bleurgh — see? Sprouts."

They had a good time eating the Every Flavor Beans and playing cards Percy's worst one was Hair flavour his favourite was the cookie dough one it was a pale yellow. Harry got toast, coconut, baked beans, strawberries, curry, grass, coffee, sardines, and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny gray one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper. Percy and Ron got the worst ones.

The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone.

Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.

There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Harry and Percy had passed on platform nine and three-quarters came in. He looked tearful.

"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"

When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

Percy felt bad for the kid and he knew the summoning charm. "Hey, dude, what's your toad's name?" He asked the teary-eyed boy.

Sniffling the boy answered "T-Trevor."

Standing up Percy got out his wand and gave it a flick "_Accio_ Trevor the toad." He said clearly as they waited for a few seconds a slimy thing slapped Harry in the face. All of the boys laughed except for Harry that is.

Percy peeled it off his face and gave it to the boy. "Here you go, there's your toad you should join us in our compartment there's room enough… Uh, I don't know your name" the boy flushed in embarrassment.

"M-my n-names N-Neville Longbottom. T-thank you for helping me with my Toad." He stuttered.

"No problem. My names Perseus Jackson. But my friends call me Percy." He said as he shook Neville's hand.

Neville looked at the others in the compartment expecting to be introduced. Understanding what he was getting at Percy turned to Harry. "This is my cousin and best friend Harry Potter, and that's our new friend Ron Weasley." His eyes were wide with shock when he introduced him to Harry.

They all shook hands and help Neville move his stuff into their compartment. Not even a few minutes later a girl came in. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.

"Has anyone seen a toad? A boy Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.

"Hermione Percy found my toad." but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in Percy's hand.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it then."

She sat down. Percy looked annoyed.

"All right." He cleared his throat. And pointed his wand at one of the leftover beans and thought of something funny and willed it to look like that.

"viola," he said as the bean turned into a flopping fish causing the girl to gape at him.

"You did it without saying anything. How did you do it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me but I can't do it without speaking. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard — I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough — I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"

" My name is Perseus Jackson or Percy these are my friends Harry Potter… don't just let me finish." He said raising a hand to silence her oncoming questions and continued pointing to everyone else. "that's Neville Longbottom and that right next to you is Ron Weasley these little guys here are my shadow Krupp Argos and Harry's storm Phoenix Fulgora oh and Trevor the toad and Scabbers the rat and you seem like the type to stick to lists so I'm going to tell you this once. We have permission from Professor McGonagall and they make exceptions for bonded familiars which these all are now any questions? Nope?" He took a breath. "Good and just because I can do a spell without speaking does not mean I'm a pureblood whose had alota practice in fact I've known even less than harry about the wizarding world I'm a muggle-born who is roughly two weeks younger than harry. So don't go shoving your know it all knowledge in our faces not everything you read is true you know." He breathed in and out for a few seconds before recomposing himself and face a teary-eyed girl.

"Bloody Hades." He cursed. The boys were looking at him oddly except Harry. He sighed.

But harry beat him to it "Look Hermione we both read those terrible books, Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark

Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century. Those are all lies I never did any of those things, I can't even remember killing Voldemort. My parents died for me and I was left to be abused until I meet Percy and his mum they took me in gave me my own room and feed me properly. I love them Percy is my younger brother figure." After that nobody spoke for most of the trip when the compartment door slid open yet again, Three boys entered, both Harry and Percy recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.

"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Yes," said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale booked extremely tiring where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.

"I was looking's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the

Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."

He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harrthan others it. Percy stood up not wanting to let him get away with insulting his friends.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," Harry said coolly as he too stood taking out his wand both of them studied their spells and practised.

Percy snarled at them "get out or you'll be sorry." Both are and Harry's eyes flashed dangerously causing the temperature to drop and stuff began to swirl about them as if a storm was brewing.

Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks. "I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and mudbloods, and it'll rub off on you."

Both Harry and Percy were now shaking with suppressed anger and Neville, Ron and Hermione all stood up their own wands drawn. Thunder clouds gathered outside and lightning was striking at random. Harry spoke again but his voice sounded like it had an echo. " we said get out Malfoy or well kick you out." Both Harry and Percy lunged forward scaring the three boys shitless as they scarpered.

Percy fell back into the seat along with Harry and the skies cleared instantly as they began to laugh the others not far behind. " haha did you see their faces they looked like they were going to haha piss them ha selves." The whole compartment was shaking with glee.

When they settled down and the train pulled to a stop nobody asked any questions or mentioned that incident.

**That is my sixth yay tell me what you think quasi out ;p**


	7. Hogwarts The Sorting

Chapter 7 Hogwarts

September 1st

Out in the dark, a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and the group heard a booming voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over

here!"

A big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed the giant man down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, lost his toad, again.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," the man called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry, Percy and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville. Hermione had to go to another one.

"Everyone in?" shouted The giant, who had a boat to himself. "Right then — FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" the man boomed as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle,until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said the giant, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after the man's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

He raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

The door swung open at once. A familiar tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had her stern face on and both Harry and Percy's first thought was that this version of the nice ms McGonagall was not someone to cross.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said The man.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys and the Jackson's house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. They could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right — the rest of the school must already be here — but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall.

They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously. Percy was looking at Harry and then at Argos and Fulgora nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall she spotted the boys at the front of the crowd and gave a friendly smile before she continued "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair as he glared at his cousin who was snickering at him he just grabbed out his wand and waved it a bit flattening both of their hairs and making them more presentable. Harry flushed forgetting they had learned that giving Percy a grateful look as Fulgora perched on his shoulder.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber. Harry swallowed.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" he and Percy asked Ron.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

Harry and Percy shared a look. A test? In front of the whole school? But they didn't all know magic so—what on earth would they have to do? They hadn't expected something like this the moment they arrived. Harry looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified, too, even Percy was nervous looking which is new. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. Harry had never been more nervous, never, not even when he'd had to take a school report home to the Dursleys saying that he'd somehow turned his teacher's wig blue when he was five.

He kept his eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and lead him to his doom. Percy was thinking something similar.

Then something happened that made him and Percy jump about a foot in the air — several people behind them screamed.

"What the —?" He gasped. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing.

What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance —"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost — I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years. Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know." Percy heard Malfoy scoff.

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to lead, Harry got into line behind Percy who was behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ron behind him, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

The boys had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, They looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars.

Percy heard Hermione whisper, "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." he struggled not to roll his eyes at her.

It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.

Percy looked back at Harry and saw him quickly look down as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty.

Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it, the boys thought worriedly, that seemed the sort of thing — noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, they stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing:

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_if you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!_"

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll. Harry smiled weakly. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than having to do a spell, but he did wish they could have tried it on without everyone watching. The hat seemed to be asking rather a lot; Harry didn't feel brave at the moment and he and Percy only studied a few spells in fact he didn't feel any of it at the moment.

If only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been the one for him maybe Percy too.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said.

"Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause —

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.

Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!" The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin.

Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, after all he'd heard about Slytherin, but he thought they looked like an unpleasant lot. Percy's mother did say to never judge a book by its cover so who knows.

Harry was starting to feel definitely sick now. He remembered being picked for teams during gym at his old school. He had always been last to be chosen, Percy was always just before him, not because he was no good, but because no one wanted Dudley to think they liked him or Percy. Even though Percy best him up once for picking on Harry they still didn't pick either of them first.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat.

Both Harry and Percy heard Ron groan.

Then Percy's name was called out. "Jackson, Perseus." He groaned at that. He hated being called that as much as Harry hated Hariloas.

He sat on the stool while Argos sat at the Professors feet. When the hat was put on his head, the last thing he saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was Harry and his bird, not noticing that most of the hall were staring at him, next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. Percy waited.

"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, Ah, yes — and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting… So where shall I put you?"

Percy tapped nervously on the edges of the stool and thought, Put me with my friends please Put me with my friends.

"with your friends, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, in another house, Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, theirs a great loyalty to those close to you, could be Hufflepuff, no doubt about that — no? Well I suppose your extremely brave too standing up for your cousin like that — better be GRYFFINDOR!" he hoped of the stool and handed Ms McGonagall the hat as he jogged over to the cheering table with Argos trailing him he sat near Hermione and gave Harry a thumbs up.

When Neville Longbottom, their friend who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville.

When it finally shouted,"GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."

Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.

There weren't many people left now. "Moon"… , "Nocraning tokinson"… , then a pair of twin

girls, "Patil" and "Patil"… , then "Perks, Sally-Anne"… , and then, at last —

"Potter, Hariloas!" As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

"Why'd she say Hariloas? Is that his name?"

The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited. Feeling Fulgora move from his shoulder.

"Hmm," said the small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, A my goodness, yes — and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting… So where shall I put you?"

Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, Not Slytherin, not Slytherin.

"Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that — no? Well, if you're sure — better be GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table Fulgora landed on his shoulder again causing everyone to stare at her in wonder. Harry was so relieved to have been chosen and not put in Slytherin, he hardly noticed that he was getting the loudest cheer yet. Percy the Prefect got up and shook his hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Harry sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff he'd seen earlier.

The ghost patted his arm, giving Harry the sudden, horrible feeling he'd just plunged it into a bucket of ice-cold water. He sat next Percy his cousin that is who was patting him on the back.

They could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest to him sat Hagrid, the half giant who gave Harry a thumbs up. Odd. Harry grinned at him.

And there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Harry and Percy recognized him at once from the card they'd gotten out of the Chocolate Frog on the train. Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. Harry spotted some Professor, who looked, a lot like the nervous young man they had seen in the Leaky Cauldron.

He was looking very peculiar in a large purple turban. And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined Harry and Percy at the Gryffindor table.

"Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it

was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. Unknown to each other both Harry and Percy crossed their fingers under the table and a second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry and Percy clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next to Harry.

"Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy Weasley pompously across from Harry.

Last was "Zabini, Blaise," who was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

The boys looked down at their empty gold plates. They had only just realized how hungry they were. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!" Percy snickered at that last bit.

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Percy and Harry didn't know whether to laugh or not.

"Is he — a bit mad?" he asked Percy uncertainly. His cousin shrugged then as if over hearing the other red hairedPercy butted in.

"Mad?" said red Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?"

Both Harry and Percy's mouths fell open. The dishes in front of them were now piled with food.

They had never seen so many things they liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.

Percy watched Harry pile his plate with a bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat. It was all delicious. Seeing his face Percy did the same grabbing a goblet he looked at its contents and saw an orange kind of juice. After a taste he thought it must be pumpkin scowling at it he though of the blue drinks his mom would make for him and Harry, and to his surprise the drink changed he showed Harry and told him how to do it and soon the whole hall was doing the same. Their favourite drinks were filling their cups well except for alcoholic drinks that is. They enjoyed their food.

"That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Harry cut up his steak as percy tossed some of his food to Argos.

"Can't you —?"

"I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you — you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy —" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.

"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"

Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted. Percy felt a little bad for him seeing he was getting a bit annoyed he stood.

"It's fine Sir Nicholas you don't need to show them why your called that. I'm sure the older kids can tell him. And you can be on your way." The ghost looked pleased that someone understood him.

"Thank you young man but I shall show you anyway." He said to Percy before turning irritable back to Seamus and said "Like this." He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly.

Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So — new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable — he's the Slytherin ghost."

The boys looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy who, Percy and Harry were pleased to see, didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements.

"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus with great interest. Percy slapped his forehead in exasperation.

"I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.

When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding…

As Harry helped himself to a treacle tart, and Percy some blueberry ice cream, the talk turned to their families.

"I'm half-and-half," Percy heard Seamus say. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him." The others laughed.

"What about you, Neville?" said Ron.

"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville, "but the family thought I was all-Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me — he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned — but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced — all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here — they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad." Percy looked horriffied at that but kept his mouth shut.

On Percy's right side, Hermione and Percy Weasley were talking about lessons, Hades knew they were annoying him ("I do hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult —"; "You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing — ").

Harry, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at the High Table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore.

Professor turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin.

It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's turban straight into Harry's eyes — and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on Harry's forehead.

"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head.

"What is it?" asked Percy concerned for his cousin.

"N-nothing." Harry stuttered causing Percy to narrow his eyes at his hand.The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the feeling Harry had gotten from the teacher's look — a feeling that he didn't like Harry at all.

"Your lying what happened you never had a problem with it before." Percy said.

"Fine, my head hurt when that teacher with the hooked nose looked at me." Percy looked to the teachers table and noticed the hook-nosed teacher glaring at Harrys head before he notice Percys glare and turned away.

"Who's that Professor talking to the other Professor with a turban?" he asked the other Percy.

"Oh, that's Professor Quirill and that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to — everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape." red Percy said.

Harry watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at him again. Because Percy was still glaring heatedly at him.

At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

Clearing his throat he began "Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Harry and Percy laughed, but they were some of the few who did.

"He's not serious?" he muttered to Percy. Percy shrugged again and once again red thought he was talking to him.

"Must be," said red Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere — the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Harry noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed. Percy thought he saw Professor McGonagalls eye twitch.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

And the school bellowed:

"_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot."_

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

The Gryffindor first years followed red Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Harry's legs were like lead again, but only because he was so tired and full of food. He was too sleepy even to be surprised that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet, and Harry was just wondering how much farther they had to go when they came to a sudden halt.

Percy wasn't paying any attention when some half ghost thing called peeves came by terorising the students and red percy scared him off with a threat. Until they apeared at the very end of the corridor where a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress hung.

"Password?" she said.

"Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall.

They all scrambled through it — Neville needed a leg up — and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs.

Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase — they were obviously in one of the towers — they found their beds at last: six four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pajamas and fell into bed.

Percy tucked himself in the bed next to Harry and Argos curled up at the foot of the bed. Harry had Fulgora perch on his headboard as he got her perch from in his trunk and got into bed himself.

"Great food, isn't it?" Ron muttered to Harry through the hangings. "Get off, Scabbers! He's chewing my sheets."

Harry was going to ask Ron if he'd had any of the treacle tart, but he fell asleep almost at once. He heard Percy say good night and then was out like a light.

Perhaps Harry had eaten a bit too much, because he had a very strange dream. He was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to him, telling him he must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was his destiny. Harry told the turban he didn't want to be in Slytherin; it got heavier and heavier; he tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully — and there was Malfoy, laughing at him as he struggled with it — then Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh became high and cold — there was a burst of green light and Harry woke, sweating and shaking.

He rolled over and fell asleep again, and when he woke next day, he didn't remember the dream at all. But Percy new he had had a nightmare because he couldn't sleep and heard Harry tossing and turning


	8. Potions

**Chapter 8**

**The Potions Master**

"There, look."

"Where?"

"Next to the tall kid with the red hair and the other kid who looks like him."

"Wearing the glasses?"

"Did you see his face?"

"Did you see his scar?"

Whispers followed Harry from the moment he left his dormitory the next day and Percy tried not to attack all of the people who so much as whispered about his cousin's scar. People lining up outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look at him or doubled back to pass him in the corridors again, staring. Harry wished they wouldn't because he was trying to concentrate on finding his way to classes. He was grateful for Percy's company though as he made all of his annoying admirers look the other way with his mean glare.

There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that won't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other, the boys were sure the coats of armour could walk.

The ghosts didn't help, either. It was always a nasty shock when one of them glided suddenly through a door you were trying to open. Nearly Headless Nick was always happy to point new

Gryffindors in the right direction, but Peeves the Poltergeist was worth two locked doors and a

trick staircase if you met him when you were late for class. He would drop wastepaper baskets

on your head, pull rugs from under your feet, pelt you with bits of chalk, or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab your nose, and screech, "GOT YOUR CONK!"

Even worse than Peeves, if that was possible, was the caretaker, Argus Filch. Harry and Ron managed to get on the wrong side of him on their very first morning so they had to walk around with Percy, and later on Neville too, as the man enjoyed his company for some reason (probably because he was nice to anyone who didn't have friends of their own his cat didn't count.) Filch found them trying to force their way through a door that unluckily turned out to be the entrance to the out-of-bounds corridor on the third floor. He wouldn't believe they were lost, was sure they were trying to break into it on purpose and was threatening to lock them in the dungeons when they were rescued by Professor Quirrell, who was passing with Percy talking about Hades knows what. Percy seemed to talk to anyone.

Filch owned a cat called Mrs Norris, a scrawny, dust-coloured creature with bulging, lamp-like eyes just like Filch's. She patrolled the corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing, two seconds later. Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than anyone (except perhaps the Weasley

twins) and could pop up as suddenly as any of the ghosts. The students all hated him except for Percy Neville and Argos(who liked playing with the old cat.), and it was the dearest ambition of many to give Mrs Norris a good kick, again except for Percy and Neville who feed her sometimes. At first, Neville was afraid of both of them. Then as he spent more time around Percy he began to become more confident and was able to hold proper conversations with most people in the school. (Keyword being most neither of them liked Professor snape. Neville was plainly terrified of the man.)

And then, once you had managed to find them, there were the classes themselves. There was a lot more to magic, as Harry and Percy found out during their studies than waving your wand and saying a few funny words.

They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets. Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for. Easily the most boring class was History of Magic, which was the only one taught by a ghost.

Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got up the next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates, and got Emetic the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.

Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first class, he took the roll call, and when he reached Harry's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight. He was one of Percy's favourite teachers aside from Professor McGonagall of course.

Professor McGonagall was again different. Harry had been quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class. Much different to the kind woman they had met prior to the school year.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle.

By the end of the lesson, Percy and Harry both wordlessly transfigured their matchsticks into needles the only other person to come close to a change was Hermione Granger; Professor McGonagall asked them to demonstrate for the class and they did so proudly, Professor McGonagall had asked them how they did it and they replied the wanted the match to be a needle and willed it to be just that and they were awarded ten house points each. She gave them a rare smile(at school that is).

The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke.

His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days.

His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African Prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story. For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather; for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went. Percy told them to stuff it getting on the good side of a person was a good way to discover one's intentions. Everyone found his stutter annoying but only Percy and Neville knew it was fake. It was over-exaggerated they knew this because Neville stuttered. Neither of them trusted the Professor as far as they could throw Hagrid but pretended to lie to anyone who'd ask why they hung around a teacher.

Harry was very relieved to find out that he wasn't miles behind everyone else, in fact, he and his cousin were miles ahead of everyone. Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like he and Percy who grew up learning Greek mythology, hadn't had any idea that they were witches and wizards. There was so much to learn that even people like Ron didn't have much of a head start. Percy said it was because he was lazy Harry didn't believe it till later on.

Friday was an important day for the four Gryffindor boys. They finally managed to find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost once.

"What have we got today?" Harry asked Ron as he poured sugar on his porridge.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favours them — we'll be able to see if it's true."

"Wish McGonagall favoured us," said Harry. Professor McGonagall was head of Gryffindor

House, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a huge pile of homework the day before, not that they hadn't already finished it though. Percy and Neville started a study group which Harry joined the other boys didn't like the idea.

Just then, the mail arrived. Harry had gotten used to this by now, but it had given him a bit of a shock on the first morning when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great

Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters and packages onto their laps.

Sally had sent them a few letters so far. This morning, however, Fulgora flashed between the marmalade and the sugar bowl and dropped a note onto Harry's plate. Harry tore it open at once. It said, in a very untidy scrawl:

_Dear Harry,__I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three?__I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Fulgora.__Hagrid_

Percy frowned as he read over Harry's shoulder.

"How'd he knows her name?"

Harry smiled "we met him the other day after going inside from herbology lessons after you went on with Neville. He asked about her and I introduced them." He said.

Harry borrowed Ron's quill, scribbled Yes, please, see you later on the back of the note, and sent Fulgora away who just flashed out everyone had gotten used to her and Argos doing that so there were fewer stares than the first day. Though people would always ask him where he got her and he says in an egg causing them to bugger off never asking again.

It was lucky that Harry had tea with Hagrid to look forward to because the Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing that had happened to him so far.

At the start-of-term banquet, Harry had gotten the idea that Professor Snape disliked him. By the end of the first Potions lesson, he knew he'd been wrong. Snape didn't dislike Harry — he hated Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.

Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name. For different reasons though.

"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new — celebrity."

Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands, but shut up when both Percy and Harry glared at them their eyes glowing for a brief second. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels. Percy hated the way the man singled Harry out.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word — like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.

"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death — if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows.

Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead. While Percy and Neville waited for the class to actually start.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added the powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Percy raised an eyebrow at that and Nevilles eyes widen a bit both knowing what he meant potion or not that's just depressing they frowned sharing a look before returning their attention back to Snape.

**AN: for those that don't already know the quite depressing meaning of it here it is According to Victorian Flower Language, asphodel is a type of lily meaning 'My regrets follow you to the grave' and wormwood means 'absence' and also typically symbolized bitter sorrow. If you combined that, it meant 'I bitterly regret Lily's death'. I just had to add it I mean really.**

Harry glanced at Ron then Percy, he remembered suddenly; Hermione's hand had shot into the air.

"Together they will make a sleeping draught so powerful it is called the draught of living death," said Harry.

Snape's lips curled into a sneer. And then frowned slightly blinking.

He ignored Hermione's hand. And barked. "Again, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, but this time Harry grinned he new this one. He tried not to look at Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were shaking with laughter than fear as they shut up when Percy turned to them.

"It's a small round stone found in the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons," he said confidently. If Professor Snape could gape he would have but he does not gape. Ever.

Snape was shocked, to say the least so shocked he did not ask any more questions. He only turned back to the blackboard and snapped harshly at the rest of the class. "Well, why aren't any of you writing this down?"

There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."

Harry sat there confused what cheek he glanced at Percy who shrugged and glared at Snape.

Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like. Percy and Neville found out (after spying on Malfoy) the reason for this, he was his bloody Godfather. Talk about favouritism.

He was just telling everyone to look at the

perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon.

Seamus had somehow managed to melt his cauldron into a twisted blob, and the potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes.

Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilt potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose. Percy glared forcefully at snape before volunteering to take his friend to the hospital wing, it wasn't his fault it was Seamus's.

Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville across from Percy who was paired with Hermione.

"You — Potter — why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Though he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

This was so unfair that Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Ron kicked him behind their cauldron. If Percy were there he'd probably have exploded in rage. Harry's eyes glowed setting everyone on edge before they returned to normal. His hair had started to go white as power pulsed around him for a brief second before he calmed forcibly.

"Don't push it," Ron muttered, "I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."

As they climbed the steps out of the dungeon an hour later, Harry's mind was racing and his spirits were low. He'd lost two points for Gryffindor in his very first week —why did Snape hate him so much? Maybe he'd ask Percy when he got back he and Neville seemed to avoid Snape like the plague after their first class.

"Cheer up," said Ron, "Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. Can I come and meet Hagrid with you?"

At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of goloshes were outside the front door.

When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks.

Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "Back, Fang —back."

Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.

"Hang on," he said. "Back, Fang."

He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.

There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.

"Make yourselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears.

Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.

"This is Ron," Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.

"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles. "I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."

The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth, but Harry and Ron pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons. Fang rested his head on Harry's knee and drooled all over his robes.

Harry and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git." "An' as for that cat, Mrs Norris, I'd like to introduce her to Fang sometime. D'ye know, every time I go up to the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her — Filch puts her up to it." Percy and Neville would scowl at Hagrid if they heard that Argos too. In his own way.

Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Harry not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students.

"But he seemed to really hate me."

"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"

Yet Harry couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes when he said that.

"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot — great with animals."

Harry wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Harry picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cosy. It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet:

**GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST**

_Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.__"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokes goblin this afternoon._

Harry remembered Ron telling him on the train that someone had tried to rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date.

He grunted and offered him another rock cake. When he announced that it was on his birthday. Harry read the story again. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that same day.

As Harry and Ron walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse, Harry thought that none of the lessons he'd had so far had given him as much to think about as tea with Hagrid. Did Hagrid know something about Snape that he didn't want to tell Harry? He would ask his cousin about it when he saw him next.

With Percy:

He could have helped Neville in class but wanted to talk to him about their first lesson with snape both knew the unspoken meaning behind his words. 'I bitterly regret Lily's death'.

"Hey, Nev what do you reckon Snape meant that day when he sprung that first question on Harry?" He asked turning to his friend as they climbed up the dungeon steps out into the large corridor.

"You noticed that too?" He said shrugging as he held his nose grimacing "I'm not too sure really we probably need to research his background a bit more. If he were a danger to us Professor Dumbledore wouldn't have hired him. We could ask around maybe you could Owl your mum to ask Harry's aunt if they knew each other. And what she could find from there." Percy had told Nev all about his and Harry's home life when they became close friends. The three boys really ought to have been Ravenclaws.

"That's actually a great idea thank you Nev. He seemed to target Harry, it could be because of a grudge or something against his parents. That he carried onto Harry."

Neville shook his head and winced in pain as a boil popped somewhere. "But then that wouldn't make any sense to say that. Unless…"

Percy caught on straight away. "Unless he loved her and blames Harry for his mom's death and wants to take out his grief on Harry."

Neville grinned. "Exactly. Nobody hates without reason." He said just as they reached the hospital wing where they meet Madam Pomfrey where she fussed over Neville and Percy waited only to be told that Neville would be resting until tomorrow.

He said by to Neville and was on his way to his next class.

**That's a wrap soo I kind of made them all really ooc but I couldn't help it I feel that hanging around Percy would have that effect on Neville though same with Harry I mean isn't Sally Jackson a teacher? Quasi out;p**


	9. Midnight Duel

**Obviously I cannot keep everyone happy but look I was thinking about having more than one familiar for them I get the krup thing but I like krups so I added it. And I was thinking about Percy's second being either a kelpie or blackjack but then youd have to wait longer we could always vote I dont really mind. I am at the moment unsure of any of Harrys suggestions are welcome, and being descended from the peverells would imply that he is actually James' son which he is not so it is Zeus and not Thanatos. plus the lightning bolt scar I like to think is an accidental mark of Zeus protecting his son. anyway heres nine Quasi out;p**

**Chapter 9**

**The Midnight Duel **

Harry and Percy had never believed he would meet a boy he hated more than Dudley, but that was before they met Draco Malfoy. Still, first-year Gryffindors only had Potions with the Slytherins, so they didn't have to put up with Malfoy that much. Or at least, they didn't until they spotted a notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room that made them all groan. Flying lessons would be

starting on Thursday — and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.

"Typical," said Harry darkly. "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."

He had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else. Percy hated flying or the idea of going into his uncles domain so he sat the lessons out on the side reading a Greek translated book on Animagi that Professor McGonagall lent him. Whatever that was.

"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself," said Ron reasonably. "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk." Percy said that he should be fine it's his fathers realm after all. He said that he should take to it like a fish to water. Harry thought it was a bit Ironic that Percy phrased it like that considering their fathers.

Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters.

He wasn't the only one, though: the way Seamus Finnigan told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick. Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he'd almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom. Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly. Ron had already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared their dormitory, about soccer. Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one

was allowed to fly.

Harry had caught Ron prodding Dean's poster of West Ham soccer team, trying to make the players move.

Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his grandmother had never let him near one.

Privately, Harry felt she'd had good reason, because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground. Even with Percy around.

Hermione Granger was almost as nervous about flying as Neville would have been if he didn't opt out to 'study' with Percy. This was something you couldn't learn by heart out of a book — not that she hadn't tried. At breakfast on Thursday she

bored them all stupid with flying tips she'd gotten out of a library book called Quidditch Through the Ages.

Everybody else was very pleased when Hermione's lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the mail.

Harry and Percy received some letters from Miss Jackson and the odd gift. Hedwig looked good, nice and healthy Harry thought as he Petted her and let her go home again.

Malfoy's eagle owl was always bringing him packages of sweets from home, which he opened gloatingly at the Slytherin table.

A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.

Percy asked him what it was, "It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things — this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red — oh…"

His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "… you've forgotten something…"

Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand. Percy jumped to his feet eyes glowing his hand was out stretched Harry and Ron jumped up as well Harry's eyes looked similar.

Malfoy cowered and gave the ball back muttering apologies just as Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, arrived in a flash a few seconds to slow.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing, Professor." Draco said meekly before returning to the Slytherin table "Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

At three-thirty that afternoon, Harry, Ron, Percy, Neville and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance. Percy got his book out and Neville followed suit as they sat in the shade of a tree discussing the contents of the book rapidly.

The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Harry had heard Fred and George Weasley complain about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left. Harry thought about anonymously buying new brooms for the school then thought against it.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up. You two under the tree come on."

Percy looked up then folded a piece of paper and sent it to her without getting up she snatched out of the air scanning the contents then sighed nodding her consent to whatever was written on it and the boys continued their discussion.

Harry glanced down at his broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"

"UP" everyone shouted.

Pecy looked up nudging Neville to do the same and both saw Harry's broom jump into his hand at once, but it was one of the few that did. The smiled and turned back to the book.

Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground. Perhaps brooms, like horses, could tell when you were afraid, Percy thought as he watched his fellow students try and fail to command their brooms.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. Harry and Ron were delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle — three — two —"

But some kid got, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but the boy was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle — twelve feet — twenty feet. Harry saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and — WHAM — a thud and a nasty crack and he lay face down on the grass in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight.

Madam Hooch was bending over the boy, her face as white as his.

"Broken wrist," Harry heard her mutter. "Come on, boy — it's all right, up you get."

She turned to the rest of the class.

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

His face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.

No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter. Harry glared his hair went white and the temperature started to fluctuate. No one noticed.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"

The other Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.

"Ooh, sticking up for the loser?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him." at that both Percy and Neville were on their feet in an instant rushing to them scowls on their faces. Percy saw Harry's hair and blanched stopping he stopped Neville with his arm the boy glared at him then looked where Percy was staring. Neville froze Malfoy took it as a win. The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch. They stared wide eye at his hair but Malfoy smiled nastily.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find — how about — up a tree?" Neville looked miffed at Malfoy claiming he couldn't climb. Nature was always on his side.

"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he could fly well.

Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!" Harry grabbed his broom.

"No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move — you'll get us all into trouble."

Harry ignored her. Blood was pounding in his ears. He mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared; air rushed through his hair, and his robes whipped out behind him — and in a rush of fierce joy he realized he'd found something he could do without being taught — this was easy, this was wonderful. Percy was right he was a natural. He pulled his broomstick up a little to take it even higher, and heard screams and gasps of girls back on the ground and an admiring whoop from Ron.

He turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair. Malfoy looked stunned. The air suddenly felt warmer even as clouds slowly moved in.

"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!" he bluffed.

"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried now noticing the change in Harry's hair, eyes and the temperature.

Harry knew, somehow, what to do. He leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Malfoy like a javelin.

Malfoy only just got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. A few people below were clapping.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called.

The same thought seemed to have struck Malfoy.

"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.

Harry saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall. He leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down — next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball — wind whistled in his ears, mingled with the screams of people watching

— he stretched out his hand — a foot from the ground he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his fist. He could hear Percy and Neville cheering. Then...

"HARRY POTTER!"

His heart sank faster than he'd just dived. Professor McGonagall was running toward them. He got to his feet, trembling. His hair and eyes were normal again.

"Never — in all my time at Hogwarts —"

Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "—how dare you — might have broken your neck —"

"It wasn't his fault, Professor —"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil —"

"But Malfoy —"

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now." Percy and Neville shared a look nodding. They had heard she was a huge fan of the sport and extremely competitive so they both had the same thoughts. Quidditch not expelled she was desperate.

Harry caught sight of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle's triumphant faces as he left, walking numbly in Professor McGonagall's wake as she strode toward the castle. He was going to be expelled, he just knew it. He wanted to say something to defend himself, but there seemed to be something wrong with his voice.

Professor McGonagall was sweeping along without even looking at him; he had to jog to keep up. Now he'd done it. He hadn't even lasted two weeks. He'd be packing his bags in ten minutes. What would the Dursleys say when he turned up on the doorstep? What would Aunt Sally say? He dreaded that more than anything.

Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside, and still Professor McGonagall didn't say a word to him. She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with Harry trotting miserably behind her. Maybe she was taking him to Dumbledore. He thought of Hagrid, expelled but allowed to stay on as gamekeeper. Perhaps he could be Hagrid's assistant. His stomach twisted as he imagined it, watching Ron, Percy and the others becoming wizards, while he stumped around the grounds carrying Hagrid's bag.

Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside. His nightmarish thoughts cut short. What?

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"

Wood? thought Harry, bewildered; was Wood a cane she was going to use on him?

But Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out of Flitwick's class looking confused.

"Follow me, you two," said Professor McGonagall, and they marched on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at Harry.

"In here."

Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.

"Out, Peeves!" she barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. Professor McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the two boys.

"Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood — I've found you a Seeker."

Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight.

"Are you serious, Professor?"

"Absolutely," said Professor McGonagall crisply.

"The boy's a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a broomstick, Potter?" Percy said the same thing.

Harry nodded silently. He didn't have a clue what was going on, but he didn't seem to be being expelled, and some of the feeling started coming back to his legs.

"He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive," Professor McGonagall told Wood.

"Didn't even scratch himself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it."

Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.

"Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?" he asked excitedly.

"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team," Professor McGonagall explained.

"He's just the build for a Seeker, too," said Wood, now walking around Harry and staring at him.

"Light —speedy — we'll have to get him a decent broom, Professor — a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd say." oh they have no idea Harry thought. He was literally born a natural.

"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks…"

Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Harry.

"I want to hear you're training hard, Potter, or I may change my mind about punishing you."

Then she suddenly smiled. "Your father would have been proud," she said. "He was an excellent Quidditch player himself."

"You're joking." his step father but they didn't know that.

It was dinnertime. Harry had just finished telling Ron what had happened when he'd left the grounds with Professor McGonagall. Ron had a piece of steak and kidney pie halfway to his mouth, but he'd forgotten all about it. Percy and Neville just smiled.

"Seeker?" he said. "But first years never — you must be the youngest house player in about —"

" — a century," said Harry, shoveling pie into his mouth. He felt particularly hungry after the excitement of the afternoon. "Wood told me."

Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at Harry.

"I start training next week," said Harry. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret."

Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall, spotted Harry, and hurried over.

"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us. We're on the team too — Beaters."

"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year," said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."

"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."

"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you."

Fred and George had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome turned up: Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly Percy snickered his wand at the ready. There was of course nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only — no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

Percy's smile dropped Neville told him about these as a random pop up topic.

"Of course he has," said Ron, wheeling around. "I'm his second, who's yours?"

Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up. Percy scoffed like size matters.

"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

When Malfoy had gone, Ron and Harry looked at each other.

"What is a wizard's duel?" said Harry. "And what do you mean, you're my second?"

"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," Percy explained. Catching the look on Harry's face, he added quickly, "But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you know enough magic to do any real damage well maybe you do but that's beside the point. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."

"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"

"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested.

"Excuse me."

They both looked up. It was Hermione Granger.

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron. Percy took deep breaths to calm himself down he really didn't like little miss bossy.

Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry.

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying —"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered. Percy snickered as Neville jabbed him in the ribs.

"— and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

"And it's really none of your business," said Harry. Percy and Neville nodded as Fulgora flamed in landing on Harrys shoulder in support and Argos was shadowing Percy.

"Good-bye," said Ron.

All the same, it wasn't what you'd call the perfect end to the day, Harry thought, as he lay awake much later listening to Dean and Seamus falling asleep Percy and Neville needing it out, Ron had spent all evening giving him advice such as "If he tries to curse you, you'd better dodge it, because I can't remember how to block them." There was a very good chance they were going to get caught by Filch or Mrs. Norris, and Harry felt he was pushing his luck, breaking another school rule today. Then again he had Fulgora and his friends.

On the other hand, Malfoy's sneering face kept looming up out of the darkness — this was his big chance to beat Malfoy face-to-face. He couldn't miss it.

"Half-past eleven," Ron muttered at last, "we'd better go." neither noticed the other two follow them out.

They pulled on their bathrobes, picked up their wands, and crept across the tower room, down the spiral staircase, and into the Gryffindor common room. A few embers were still glowing in the fireplace, turning all the armchairs into hunched black shadows. They had almost reached the portrait hole when a voice spoke from the chair nearest them, "I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry." Percy and Neville waited on the steps out of sight with Argos shadowing them.

A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink bathrobe and a frown.

"You!" said Ron furiously. "Go back to bed!"

"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped, "Percy — he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this." Percy snorted not with the silencing charms all of the upper years use to catch up on sleep.

Harry couldn't believe anyone could be so interfering.

"Come on," he said to Ron. He pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed through the hole.

Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily. She followed Ron through the portrait hole, hissing at them like an angry goose. Percy grabbed Neville and held Argos's collar whispering a command to which he obeyed and they were outside door hidden in the shadows, shadow travel was uncomfortable but not too bad. They listened to their friends argument silently.

"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves, I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."

"Go away."

"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so —"

But what they were, they didn't find out. Hermione had turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside and found herself facing an empty painting. The Fat Lady had gone on a nighttime visit and Hermione was locked out of Gryffindor tower.

"Now what am I going to do?" she asked shrilly.

"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go, we're going to be late."

They hadn't even reached the end of the corridor when Hermione caught up with them. The others followed sort of as their hidden chaperones.

"I'm coming with you," she said.

"You are not."

"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me? If he finds all three of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you, and you can back me up." Neville nearly laughed Percy coveredhis mouth before anything came out.

"You've got some nerve —" said Ron loudly.

"Shut up, both of you!" said Harry sharply. "I heard something."

It was a sort of snuffling.

"Mrs. Norris?" breathed Ron, squinting through the dark.

It wasn't Mrs. Norris. It was Argos. He was curled up on the floor, fast asleep, but jerked suddenly awake as they crept nearer. Percy was confused he looked down but the Krupp wasn't their. And fell into the light in a heap. Causing the trio to spin around wands drawn.

They sighed in relief when the spotted Percy and Neville holstering their wands.

"Keep your voices down."

Ron looked at his watch and then glared furiously at Hermione and Neville. Not bothering with Percy.

"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you."

Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies, but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned them all forward.

They flitted along corridors striped with bars of moonlight from the high windows. At every turn Harry expected to run into Filch or Mrs. Norris, but they were lucky. Not that Neville or Percy were worried they were Filch's favourite students. Plus they still had Argos.

They sped up a staircase to the third floor and tiptoed toward the trophy room.

Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet. The crystal trophy cases glimmered where the moonlight caught them. Cups, shields, plates, and statues winked silver and gold in the darkness. They edged along the walls, keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room. Harry took out his wand in case Malfoy leapt in and started at once. The minutes crept by.

"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.

Then a noise in the next room made them jump. Harry had only just raised his wand when they heard someone speak — and it wasn't Malfoy.

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner." It was Filch speaking to Mrs. Norris. Horror-struck, Harry waved madly at the other two to follow him as quickly as possible; they scurried silently toward the door, away from Filch's voice.

Neville and Percy stayed their with Argos sitting at their feet."They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding." Percy wanted his cousin to go ahead and Neville stayed by his side.

"Hey Argus!" He got the caretakers attention Filch turned to them Filch saw them and actually smiled a genuine smile. Then his smile morphed into a frown.

"It's late, lads what are you doing awake and wonderin' the halls at this time?"

"Argos wasn't in bed we searched the dorms but couldn't find him so here we are and we found him." Mrs. Norris rubbed up against Nevilles leg as he crouched down to pet her. She purred.

Neville remembered something. "Oh and were locked out, could you help us out?" He asked. both knew they could just shadow travel back but Filch didnt and they wanted their freinds to be safe.

Mr Filch looked at them and then Argos and nodded. "Alright then follow me." And they did they were back in bed.

Same time with Harry

"This way!" Harry mouthed to the others and, petrified, they began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armor. They could hear Filch getting nearer. But they also heard another voice. Percy's. He thanked his cousins quick thinking. Buying them time.

Harry in the lead, without any idea where they were or where they were going —they ripped through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, hurtled along it and came out near their Charms classroom, which they knew was miles from the trophy room.

"I think we've lost him," Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping his forehead.

"I —told — you," Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest, "I — told — you."

"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron, "quickly as possible."

"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Harry. "You realize that, don't you? He was never going to meet you — Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off. Were lucky Percy and Neville were there." they all having momentarily forgotten about Harry's familiar.

Harry thought she was probably right, but he wasn't going to tell her that.

"Let's go."

It wasn't going to be that simple. They hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them.

It was Peeves. He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.

"Shut up, Peeves — please — you'll get us thrown out." then an idea struck him, Harry had found out that Peeves was terrified of Percy because he was a friend or more of an acquaintance of the bloody barons. "I'll tell Percy who has no mercy if you give us away." He said the stupid name that Peeves called Percy. The poltergeist paled and promptly shut up leaving them be.

They could hear Filch again. He was back. Panicking Harry tried to open the locked door by them but failed forgetting he knew the spell.

"Oh, move over," Hermione snarled. She grabbed Harry's wand, tapped the lock, and whispered, "_Alohomora_!"

The lock clicked and the door swung open — they piled through it, shut it quickly, and pressed their ears against it, listening.

"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me." obviously having already helped the others.

"Say 'please.'"

"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now where did they go?"

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his annoying singsong voice.

"All right —please."

"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha!

Haaaaaa!" And they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Filch cursing in rage.

"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered.

"What?" Harry turned around — and saw, quite clearly, what. For a moment, he was sure he'd walked into a nightmare — this was too much, on top of everything that had happened so far.

They weren't in a room, as he had supposed. They were in a corridor. The forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now they knew why it was forbidden.

They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Percy would have loved it.

Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.

It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them, and Harry knew that the only reason they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting over that, there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant.

Harry groped for the doorknob — between Filch and death, he'd take Filch.

They fell backward — Harry slammed the door shut, and they ran, they almost flew, back down the corridor.

Filch must have hurried off to look for them somewhere else, because they didn't see him anywhere, but they hardly cared — all they wanted to do was put as much space as possible between them and that monster.

They didn't stop running until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.

"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at their bathrobes hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty faces.

"Never mind that — pig snout, pig snout," panted Harry, and the portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and collapsed, trembling, into armchairs.

It was a while before any of them said anything. "What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron finally. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."

Hermione had got both her breath and her bad temper back again. "You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"The floor?" Harry suggested. "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too busy with its heads."

"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something." She stood up, glaring at them.

"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed — or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

Ron stared after her, his mouth open. "No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you."

But Hermione had given Harry something else to think about as he climbed back into bed. The dog was guarding something… What had Hagrid said? Gringotts was the safest place in the world for something you wanted to hide — except perhaps Hogwarts.

It looked as though Harry had found out where the grubby little package from vault seven hundred and thirteen was.

**There we go another probably wont be able to do much this week with school and work but after maybe idk well see. maybe i'll make it so Harry is descended from the Peverells from his mums side relation of Voldemort and all that so Harry can still talk to snakes and isn't moldyshorts a descendant of Cadmus Peverell ooh maybe his second familiar could be a snake. Quasi later;p**


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